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Carman-Dufferin chapter of Habitat for Humanity, along with many partners from the community, completed their first harvest project.

The “growing community together” project was planted in the RM of Dufferin in May.

Forty acres of hard red spring wheat were harvested on September 12, bringing in the equivalent of almost 2000 bushels.

Brent McDonald, chair of Habitat’s fundraising committee in Carman, said the idea for the project came from their members.

“Various people brought the idea up as somethiong we could do as a fundraiser,” he said. “It was a good chance to get a number of different people involved.”

Community involvement

And the community did step up to get involved.

Monsanto donated the 40-acre crop site east of Carman, while Agassiz Seed Farm donated the time, equipment and seed for planting. Linear grain donated the fertilizer. Crop Production Services was responsible for the herbicide application. Walker Farms volunteered their time and equipment to harvest the crop. And Country Wood Signs donated the sign by the highway.

Individuals in the community also offered their time and energy for various other tasks.

Habitat for Humanity ended up incurring very little costs, as pretty much everything needed for the project was donated.

McDonald said aside from minor expenses, costs were “pretty well covered.”

He noted that the intermittent rainy weather we’ve been experiencing didn’t delay the harvest by much, and was grateful that people were willing to take time away from their own farms to get this harvest done.

“Carman is known as a generous community that supports projects like this,” he said. “It went well and we’re thankful to the community.”

McDonald said the group hopes to clear $10,000 on this fundraiser but he won’t know the exact figures for some time.

To date, the Carman-Dufferin chapter of Habitat for Humanity has raised around $35,000.

“They build houses, but at the same time they build community,” McDonald said of the group. “They give people a hand up instead of a hand out.”